Bitto Cheese vs Queso de Media Flor de Guía
Bitto Cheese
Queso de Media Flor de Guía
Bitto Cheese is a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cow and goat-milk cheese from Italy, while Queso de Media Flor de Guía is dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.
What Is Bitto Cheese?
Bitto is a raw-milk PDO cheese from the alpine pastures of Sondrio in Lombardy, made only between 1 June and 30 September from cow's milk, sometimes with up to 10 percent goat's milk. Young wheels taste mild and sweet, and some are aged for years.
What Is Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
Queso de Media Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese produced in the same region as Queso de Flor de Guía, using the same milk proportions. However, its curdling process involves at least 50% vegetable rennet, with the remainder being animal rennet or other starter cultures. It has a cylindrical shape, with a diameter of 15–30 cm and a height of 4–8 cm. Its texture varies from creamy to very hard depending on its maturity. The cheese has a mild acidic flavor with slight sharpness, and its aroma includes lactic, vegetal, and sometimes floral or roasted notes. It is matured for at least 15 days for semi-mature and over 60 days for mature cheese.
What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
- Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
- Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy)
- Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Ivory-colored when young, thick and brown when mature)
- Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Queso de Media Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
- Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Queso de Media Flor de Guía (Mildly acidic with slight sharpness)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Bitto Cheese | Queso de Media Flor de Guía | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Italy | — |
| Specific Origin | Province Of Sondrio, Lombardy, Including Neighboring Upland Pastures Of Lecco And Bergamo | Gáldar, Moya, And Santa María De Guía, Gran Canaria |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10% | Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw | — |
| Texture | Fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year | Dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy |
| Rind | Smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age | Ivory-colored when young, thick and brown when mature |
| Aging | Minimum of 70 days | 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature) |
| Taste | Mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age | Mildly acidic with slight sharpness |
Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Queso de Media Flor de Guía brings mildly acidic with slight sharpness character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Queso de Media Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts), animal (rennet), sometimes floral or roasted. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Queso de Media Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
Bitto Cheese can stand in for Queso de Media Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Queso de Media Flor de Guía brings mildly acidic with slight sharpness notes.
Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cheese, go with Bitto Cheese. For a dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy profile, Queso de Media Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese suits recipes that want mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age notes, while Queso de Media Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for mildly acidic with slight sharpness.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitto Cheese the same as Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Queso de Media Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Queso de Media Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Is Bitto Cheese similar to Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Bitto Cheese taste like Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Queso de Media Flor de Guía is mildly acidic with slight sharpness.
What is Bitto Cheese made of?
Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk (raw), using calf rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 70 days. It originates in Italy.
What is Queso de Media Flor de Guía made of?
Queso de Media Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using at least 50% vegetable rennet, remainder can be animal rennet or starter cultures rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).
Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Queso de Media Flor de Guía?
It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Bitto Cheese is fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year, while Queso de Media Flor de Guía is dense, compact, sometimes rubbery or creamy.